Machine Injury & Accidents

Date	City	State	Employer	Body Part	Event
2021-11-03	Lockbourne	Oh	J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was handling the locking mechanism on a tractor trailer coupling safety pin. The rear locking device popped free and struck the employee's left hand, which was pinned against the upper supporting member. The employee's ring and little fingertips were crushed; the employee was hospitalized, and the fingertips were medically amputated.
2021-09-29	Naples	Fl	Sprinklermatic Fire Protection Systems, Inc.	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee was installing an overhead groove coupling while on the fourth rung of a 6-foot step ladder when he fell off the ladder onto a 6-inch piece of pipe that was on the ground, resulting in broken ribs and a punctured lung.
2021-03-20	Englewood	Co	Western Metals Recycling, L.L.C.	Leg(s)	Caught between rolling powered vehicle and other object
An employee was working in a rail yard coupling rail cars when his left leg was pinned between rail cars at the knuckle joint. The leg was broken.
2021-03-12	Linden	Nj	Evergreen North America, LLC	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances
At about 3:30 p.m. on March 12, 2021, employees were loading hot water condensate from a utilities unit into a vacuum truck. When the truck was nearly full, the water supply was shut off. As an employee was disconnecting the hoses for the water, he was sprayed with residual pressurized water from a 6-inch coupling he was disconnecting at the truck. He suffered second-degree burns to both forearms and the left side of the face and neck.
2021-02-24	Chicago	Il	AMERICAN AIRLINES	Lower leg(s)	Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld, n.e.c.
Pre-conditioned air had just been hooked up from a jetway to an airplane. The air coupling broke away from the flange and struck an employee four times. The employee suffered a broken right tibia and fibula.
2021-01-21	Brunswick	Ga	Brunswick Cellulose, LLC	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was boring a hole in a coupling on a lathe and amputated his right middle fingertip just above the fingernail.
2020-10-14	Axis	Al	TMS International	Foot (feet)	Contact with objects and equipment
An employee was coupling rail cars when an unknown object struck his left foot penetrating his leather boot and causing a laceration/puncture injury to his left foot.
2020-09-18	Channelview	Tx	Circor Refinery Valves	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
Two maintenance employees were replacing an oil pressure pump coupling on a moving table bridge mill. The cutter dropped from the spindle and amputated the injured employee's right thumb below the fingernail.
2020-09-16	King Of Prussia	Pa	First Quality Enterprises, Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was troubleshooting and adjusting the position of a lift table assembly inside a bagging machine when the entire lift table assembly rotated, pinching the employee's left index finger between the pivot arm and the servo coupling. The employee suffered a partial amputation to the left index fingertip.
2020-09-07	Fort Morgan	Co	Western Sugar Cooperative	Shoulder(s) and arm(s)	Contact with hot objects or substances
Two maintenance employees were inspecting the Omega coupling on the high melter pump. During inspection, the employees realized the shaft on the pump was broken rather than the coupling. The maintenance supervisor was going to locate a rebuilt seal assembly for the pump. The employees started removing the seal assembly from the pump. As one of the employees removed the base plate bolts from the pump, the head pressure from the high melter tank pushed the seal assembly out of the pump casing and
2020-08-02	Houston	Tx	Monument Chemical	Thigh(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
A pump coupling failed and caused objects to fly in the air and strike an employee. The employee received two lacerations to the inner left thigh.
2020-07-27	New York	New York	Vivid Mechanical LLC	Face	Struck by object or equipment
A Vivid Mechanical employee was removing couplings from a chilled water pipe (connected to a chiller). The pipe struck the employee in the face and knocked the employee over. The employee suffered a fracture and lacerations to the face and lacerations to the torso.
2020-03-19	Alton	Illinois	Azcon Metals, Inc.	Lower leg(s)	Pedestrian struck by rail vehicle-transportation incident
An employee was coupling railcars near the melt shop. The employee's right foot was crushed between railcar couplers and toes were amputated by the steel toe of their boot. The employee was hospitalized and their leg was medically amputated from the knee down.
2020-03-03	Tampa	Florida	BERNHARD MCC, LLC	Nonclassifiable	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids
An employee was tying in a newly installed, de-energized domestic water line by brazing a 3-inch copper coupling in a shallow excavated area with a gas brazing rod. A natural gas explosion burned the employee.
2020-02-24	Texas City	Texas	Blanchard Refining Company, LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by object or equipment
An employee was executing the removal of the unloading arm coupling blind and was struck by the coupling blind. The employee was hospitalized with a fracture to the arm/wrist, fractured ribs, and amputation of the right index finger.
2020-01-15	Janesville	Wisconsin	R & L Carriers Shared Services, LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment being pushed by injured worker
An employee was hooking up a dolly as a coupling between two trailers. The dolly went over a lip in the asphalt, and the employee's left hand was pinched between its frame and the lead trailer. The ring finger was lacerated and broken.
2019-08-05	Missoula	Montana	Active USA, LLC	Jaw, chin	Struck by powered vehicle-nontransport
An employee was uncoupling semi trucks via the temporary fifth wheel connection. The trucks had been setup in the piggy back configuration for transport. The employee was pinned between two semi trucks and sustained a fractured jaw and a head laceration.
2019-07-31	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma	Control Fire Systems Company	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
A 6-inch riser for sprinklers was being installed. To attach the riser to the system, an employee pulled off a 6-inch grooved cap. The system discharged air, which blew the coupling and cap into the employee's left thumb. The thumb was amputated and the employee was hospitalized.
2019-05-22	Allentown	Pennsylvania	Cast-Pac, Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was loading a coupling into an assembler when the employee's right index fingertip entered the pinch point as the machine cycled, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
2019-05-13	Saint Augustine	Florida	Hydro Extrusion North America, LLC	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to traumatic or stressful event, n.e.c.
While operating a coupling machine, an employee got a laceration on her hand that required stitches and immediately started to have seizures. The employee was hospitalized.
2019-05-03	Wildwood	Missouri	PEAK RESORTS	Fingertip(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects
An employee was performing maintenance on a ski lift motor. The employee was removing a coupling from the gear box when his finger was pinched between the belt and pulley. His left ring fingertip was amputated.
2018-08-23	Erie	Pennsylvania	Haysite Reinforced Plastics, LLC	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery, n.e.c.
An employee was helping to steady a resin pump that was undergoing a troubleshooting test following maintenance on the pump. His finger entered the path of the pump coupling, which was moving up and down. When the pump closed, it pinched the his left index fingertip, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
2018-08-08	San Diego	California	BAE SYSTEMS SAN DIEGO SHIP REPAIR	Forearm(s)	Machinery or equipment incident on water vehicle
On August 8, 2018, employees were rigging an engine coupling on a ship when the tension in the chain fall released and the load shifted, pinning the injured employee's arm against the ship's piping. The weight of the load (coupling) was 4,800 lbs. The employee's right arm was crushed, fracturing the radius and ulna and requiring surgery.
2018-07-17	Tilden	Texas	Ranger Energy Services, LLC	Hand(s) and elbow(s)	Contact with objects and equipment
An employee was struck on the right elbow by a rod wrench while he was backing off a rod coupling. He suffered an open laceration and non-displaced fracture to the right elbow, as well as a fracture to the left index finger. He was hospitalized and had surgery.
2018-07-10	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	UPS	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment-other than powered vehicle
An employee was coupling a dolly to a tug. The dolly rolled and the employee attempted to quickly connect the dolly and the tug. The employee's left index finger was then partially amputated at the top.
2018-07-02	Orlando	Florida	Jr. Davis Construction Company	Leg(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was tightening lugs on a pipe coupling when the line became pressurized, causing the coupling to blow off the pipe and strike the employee's leg, fracturing it.
2018-05-26	Conover	Ohio	Harvest Land Cooperative	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to other harmful substances
An employee was filling a nurse tank with anhydrous ammonia. The employee noticed a small leak coming from the fill coupling and attempted to tighten it. The coupling popped off and the employee was exposed to anhydrous ammonia and was hospitalized.
2018-05-24	New Bremen	Ohio	CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION	Leg(s)	Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle
On May 24, 2018, an employee was operating a forklift and struck a stationary coupling tongue from a material transport wagon while turning a corner, breaking a bone in the left leg. The employee was hospitalized.
2018-05-23	San Jacinto	California	Associate Mechanical Contractors, Inc.	Head and trunk	Struck by discharged object or substance
An employee was tightening a coupling on a piping system that was under pressure. The coupling failed and the air pressure released and steam contacted the employee. The employee suffered stomach and facial burns and fractures.
2018-05-07	Melrose	Wisconsin	Allied Cooperative	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee filled a propane cylinder on a platform and was uncoupling the hoses when he lost balance and fell approximately 3 feet from the platform, landing on the tongue of a trailer. He dislocated his right shoulder and broke six ribs, requiring hospitalization.
2018-05-05	Wheatland	Pennsylvania	Zekelman Industries, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was using a crane to lower a coupling box. He was guiding the coupling box onto another coupling box when his right ring finger was caught and amputated between the two coupling boxes.
2018-04-16	Tolono	Illinois	Growmark Inc.	Eye(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
On April 16, 2018, an employee was helping another employee install a pin in an auger coupling. As employee #2 struck the pin with a hammer, a small piece of metal flew into employee #1's eye. The employee was hospitalized. Both employees were wearing PPE.
2018-04-16	Rangely	Colorado	Summit Midstream Partners LLC	Fingertip(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
Two employees were trying to loosen a bolt to disassemble a coupler between an engine and compressor. One employee was on the engine side while the other (the injured employee) was on the compressor side holding a shim. When the employee on the engine side turned the bolt for the coupling assembly, the engine crank rolled and amputated the injured employee's left middle fingertip.
2018-04-06	Paulsboro	New Jersey	Westport Deptford Energy, LLC.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was removing a coupling on a steam valve. The valve was under pressure, and when the steam was released, the coupling hit and crushed his right middle finger.
2018-02-15	Columbus	Ohio	Columbus Bakery	Fingertip(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects
On February 15, 2018, an employee was removing a hose coupling from a pump after sanitation had been completed. The employee's fingers on the left hand were caught in the pump impeller. The index, middle and ring fingertips were amputated.
2018-02-06	Mechanicsburg	Pennsylvania	Groff Tractor & Equipment, Inc.	Fingernail(s), nailbed(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was cleaning grease from the front hydraulic coupling hoses of a wheel loader to align the holes and coupling pins manually. Once the coupling pins were aligned, the system's hydraulic system was ready for testing. A second employee climbed into the wheel loader's cab as the first employee examined the pins. The second employee turned the wheel loader key, which automatically engaged the pins. At the same time, the first employee tried to clear out some additional grease from the cou
2018-01-16	Geismar	Louisiana	Honeywell, Inc	Head	Fall on same level, n.e.c.
An employee and his driving partner were disconnecting a tanker trailer from their tractor. Due to the weather conditions, the release handles on the fifth wheel coupling had ice build-up on them. The employee was disengaging the fifth wheel with a fifth wheel puller when the puller slipped. This caused the employee to lose his balance, falling backward and striking his head on an adjacent trailer. He suffered a head laceration and was hospitalized.
2017-10-11	New Orleans	Louisiana	Coastal Cargo Company LLC	Leg(s)	Water vehicle incident, n.e.c.
An employee was recoupling bundles of aluminum in a vessel. When he placed a steel band around the bundle, the bundle fell over and pinned his right leg against a second bundle.
2017-09-22	Sapulpa	Oklahoma	PARAGON INDUSTRIES, INC.	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
A 9-inch joint of pipe was stuck crossways on top of the kicker and the conveyor system between the pipe threading machine and the coupling area. The injured employee was assisting another employee in clearing the jam and was struck by the pneumatic kicker that kicks the pipe up onto the conveyor. The employee suffered multiple rib fractures on the left side and a possible hernia.
2017-06-06	El Paso	Texas	Jobe Materials, LP	Face	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was unhooking a hosed coupling when some hot oil splashed and burned the left side of his face, requiring overnight hospitalization.
2017-05-25	Richardson	Texas	TD Industries	Wrist(s)	Injured by handheld object or equipment
An employee was working on a 16-inch stainless steel duct work. He was putting a coupling inside the duct and lacerated his wrist above his glove.
2017-02-17	Sidney	Ohio	American Trim	Lower leg(s)	Struck by discharged object or substance
On February 17, 2017, at approximately 7:45 AM, an employee was uncoupling a 2-inch airline from an air compressor when the pressurized line became unhooked and whipped around, striking the employee in the lower right leg. The employee suffered right tibia/fibula fractures.
2017-01-23	Chester	Oklahoma	River Rat Oilfield Services, LLC	Nonclassifiable	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids
A crew of three employees had just repaired a heater/treater water leg 3" vitriolic coupling and had pressured it up with a pump. A leak appeared at a bolt on the unit and the two injured employees proceeded to tighten it. While the two were tightening the bolt, they heard a pop and something gave away. They were drenched with liquid and gas. The third employee saw this and shut the pump down and was going to isolate the unit when it caught fire near the coupling. The fire spread to the two dren
2017-01-23	Garland	Texas	Henry Company LLC	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was using a pipe threading machine to attach a four-way coupling onto a threaded steel pipe. The employee used a pipe wrench to hold the coupling in place. When the pipe wrench was released from the coupling, the foot pedal was engaged and the pipe wrench came down and crushed the employee's fingertip, amputating it.
2016-09-13	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.	Wrist(s)	Other jump to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee hopped approximately 4 feet from a loading dock down to the lower level. He stumbled and fell, lacerating his right wrist with a sharp metal object (no-hub coupling) he was holding. He was hospitalized and required surgery.
2016-09-11	Valdosta	Georgia	Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was troubleshooting a blockage in a dry mix unloading machine. As he was removing a flexible coupling, his finger was lacerated by a rotary air lock fin. He suffered a partial amputation of the right-hand middle finger above the first joint.
2016-03-24	Dallas	Texas	Transport Corporation of America Inc	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was trying to cage a brake chamber with a caging bolt. The caging bolt was too short, so the employee applied shop air to the chamber to connect the bolt. As the employee was installing a fitting on the chamber to connect it to the air hose coupling, the employee's left middle finger was caught and crushed between the chamber and bolt washer.
2016-02-04	Beaumont	Texas	Exxon Mobil	Fingertip(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects
While performing pump repairs, an employee got his right middle finger pinched between the coupling extender on the pump and the discharge piping flange resulting in amputation of the right middle fingertip.
2016-01-22	Odessa	Texas	G & RG Trucking, Inc.	Foot (feet)	Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in nonroadway area
An employee was uncoupling rail cars when the wheel of a railcar ran over their left foot.
2016-01-06	Dickinson	North Dakota	Loenbro Pipeline, LLC	Tooth (teeth)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was hydrostatic pressure-testing a section of pipeline when a pipe coupling separated and struck him in the face, lacerating his upper lip and causing dental trauma.
2016-01-05	Kansas City	Missouri	WABTEC GLOBAL SERVICES	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was observing the testing of a locomotive intercooler when he was struck by a 10-inch steel plate in the abdominal area. The steel cap broke loose from the coupling at 35 psi and shot out 9 feet striking employee in the abdominal area.
2015-12-18	San Antonio	Texas	Betco Scaffolding	Hand(s) and arm(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c.
Employees were dismantling a system scaffold 20 feet in the air. When one of the employees removed a gravity pin that was holding a coupling pin for a scaffold leg, the leg released and fell 20 feet below striking another employee on the right arm above the elbow and on his right middle finger. The employee was hospitalized with a puncture wound above the elbow and a broken right finger.
2015-12-07	George West	Texas	Tex-Isles Supply, Inc.	Wrist(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was removing a coupling from a rotating pipe when his glove was caught in the rotating pipe. The employee's wrist was wrenched and later surgically repaired.
2015-12-03	Chicago	Illinois	University of Chicago	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level
An employee was on a ladder repairing a minor water leak on a pipe above the ceiling. The pipe/coupling failed, and the employee was sprayed with hot water and knocked off the ladder. The employee suffered a back injury and arm burn.
2015-12-03	Baytown	Texas	Savage Refinery Services	Foot (feet)	Pedestrian struck by rail vehicle-transportation incident
An employee was loading railcars with petroleum coke. As he was coupling up the railcars, his left foot got caught under the railcar. He called out to the locomotive operator to back the railcar in the other direction to relieve the pressure off his foot, which was crushed in the process and required hospitalization.
2015-11-12	Falls City	Nebraska	Helena Chemical Company	Head and trunk	Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue
An employee was walking by an applicator when the coupling blew off, spraying anhydrous ammonia that burned the employee's chest and eyes.
2015-09-12	Riviera Beach	Florida	ABF Freight System, Inc	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was coupling two 28 feet long trailers when his middle finger was pinched between the pintle hook.
2015-08-17	Mc Arthur	Ohio	Austin Powder Company	Eye(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was moving the couplings from a pressurized line. The line flew back, hitting and injuring the employee's eye. The employee was wearing safety glasses at the time.
2015-08-09	Lagrange	Georgia	Gillette Duracell Company	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee's finger was amputated while changing a coupling on a drive shaft. The finger was pinched between an indexer sprocket and the cell chain.
2015-06-17	Boca Raton	Florida	PIKE ELECTRIC, INC.	Hand(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was observing a company called Alpha Omega in the process of using a Hydro-Vac Machine when a coupling came apart causing a piece of metal pipe to strike the employee on the right side of his face causing a laceration and then striking his right hand causing it to fracture.
2015-04-22	Eustace	Texas	Sanders Crane Company	Arm(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping
An employee was disconnecting railroad cars and setting brakes on the railcar. He tripped and fell backwards, trapping and injuring his right arm in the railcar couplings.
2015-04-01	Little Rock	Arkansas	FedEx Freight	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was coupling trailers. One of the trailers rolled forward, pinching the employee's thumb in the pintle hook.
2015-02-26	Paducah	Kentucky	James Marine Inc.	BODY SYSTEMS	Inhalation of harmful substance-single episode
An employee was standing in a room next to the shaft alley of a boat on a dry dock where two employees were heating a steel coupling (shaft that holds the prop on the boat) using two rose buds with forced air and exhaust ventilation established. They were heating the coupling so it would expand and pop loose. After his shift ended, the employee called and reported difficulty breathing. He was admitted to the hospital where he was diagnosed with possible chemical pneumonia.
2015-01-04	Yazoo City	Mississippi	CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC	Toes(s), toenail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was exposed to an amputation hazard while coupling rail cars. He used his foot to align the couplers. His foot slipped and got caught between the two couplers. His toe was smashed when the cars connected.